NVA Buckle (I'm guessing)

[double canister]

This one washed up on the shore today. I'm gonna guess NVA, but it doesn't look like some of the vet bring-backs I've encountered. Is this some sort of commemorative?

I know, the scan is lousy.

[vintageproductions]

These are souvenir pieces that are sold in the tourists market in Vietnam now.

[BOLO]

it would be NLF / National Liberation Front since it has the red & blue flag colors with yellow star

[gwb123]

Well, that is not Vietnamese written on there. It appears to be either Japanese (which would be aimed at the tourists) or Chinese.

[atb]

Korean (Hangul)?

[skautdog]

Here is a picture of my NVA pistol belt and buckle for comparison (Personally brought back).

[AZ Abn]

Atb, you do get prize it is Korean writing. My interperter states,

on the upper left of the buckle it says, "Memory of ???"

The upper right of the buckle are chinese characters meaning

unknown. The center of the buckle is korean, "Army 101

Company". Don't know from what event or era or location

it is from.

 

AZ Abn

[firebaseb]

Here is a NVA belt & buckle that I picked up from a Army SF Vet in the early 80s. I've done some research & hav'nt been able to find much info on it. I was told by the Vet that it was taken off of an NVA officer...... Maybe some experts out there can shed some more light on it.. Thanks..

[USMCRECON]

Here's a picture of an NVA belt buckle that is genuine.

 

 

[skautdog]

Please see: skautdog, firebase, and USMCRECON above:

 

Looks as if they had as many belt/buckle variations as we did. Like USMCRECON, I know the example I presented was worn by an NVA soldier in the weeds. It didn't come from the vill or a roadside stand. Provenance is him to me. He just didn't have a need for it anymore.

Ken

[gwb123]

Atb, you do get prize it is Korean writing. My interperter states,

on the upper left of the buckle it says, "Memory of ???"

The upper right of the buckle are chinese characters meaning

unknown. The center of the buckle is korean, "Army 101

Company". Don't know from what event or era or location

it is from.

 

AZ Abn

 

Aha! We now have proof of North Korean advisors assisting the Viet Cong!

 

My bet is this is one more example of modern tourist junk. Very likely the jumble of words is random dies that the buckle maker had laying around.

[gwb123]

Now, I hate to be a spoil sport, but this entire disussion has been outside the focus of US militaria and military history.

 

Please feel free to continue the discussion by Private Message.

 

And for those interested in Vietnam Militaria, there is a very active discussion board including all of the combatants of that war on the Wehrmacht Awards Forum.